The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-11-05
FOR THE LITTLE PEOPLE.
The Hero And The Hen.

A little more than three hundred
,ears ago there were terrible times III
FRANCE. A religious war was going
~, and all over the country there were
battles aud seiges and many cruel
things being done, and great many
rood people lost their lives. No one 7
knows all the misery 1t caused, LOT
often family would be divided, part
being Catholic, who believed IN the
Pope, aud portion Protestant, who
did not believe in the Pope at all.
After awhile hostilities ceased, and
hollow peace was patched up between
the contending parties. Hollow
enough and false it was, indeed, on
one side. The Huguenots, as the Pro-
testan,s were called for many years,
now numbered some of the bravest
AMI noblest men in France among their
chiefs. Two or three of the royal
family were inclined to their princi-
pies. but their most devoted adherent
was the grand Admiral Gaspard de
IColigui. He was now about sixty
years old, gray,headed, grave, be
nevoIent nobieman, who, you would
think, could have had no enemies.
But the pious Colignt, who at one time
had saved France in great battle, had
two bitter and deadly enemies. One
of these was the Duke of Guise, a reck.
less young nobleman of twenty-five;
the other was the queen-mother,
Catherine de Medici, a selfish and
ambitious woman OF fifty I've. These
two persons, with several other Catho-
1 lie leaders, devised a horrible plot, by
which they hoped to get rid OF Coligni,
and, at the same time, strengthen
Catholicism. This was nothing less
than to organize band OF soldiely,
land at a stated time, whom every ody
was unsuspicious and asleep, let them
loose upon the populace, with orders
to slaughter all Huguenols they found.
Everything was favorable for carry
ing this horrible scheme into eXecu-
ton. and one Summer night, August
l25. 1872. the massacre of ST. Barthoio-
new began. 1t was fearful, fearful
time. Men, women and children were
butchered; nobody was spared unless
he was Catholic and wore cross on
his hat or arm. Almost the first per
son killed was Coligni. He had been
shot at and wounded two days before
by some one who evidently meant tc
kill him, aud the Admiral was i'll with
sort of fever consequent from the
wound. When the first alarm was
heard, his chaplain, NJ. Merlin, was
with him reading the Scriptures. a
number of persons rushed into The
chamber announcing that the court
yard was full of soldiery.
Essay me prayer, M. Merlin" sale
Coligni. 81 commit my soul to thu
i Saviour" Inia few minutes the mol
was heard coming up the stairway.
k uSave yourselves, my friends J!
= cried tho aged Admiral. "You viii
have time. AS for me, they can onl.
d shorten my life few days."
The good clergyman and the other
rs ran up stairs, and got out of the hous
Through the thing of the roof. Eacl
! fled a different way. Merlin, with hi
> Bible under his arm, clambered owe
the roofs of the houses, in a directio
II from the Louvre. In attempting
ium, rom one to another in the DARK
ID ness, his foot slipped, and he fell sever
m al feet, lodging in Il hay loft.
He was not hurt by the fall, an
d, when he saw where he was, conclude
~ that was a fortunate accident, and WI
thankfu at having stumbled upon tn
place of safety. No one would eve
W think of looking for him there; tx
to Lord had guided his footsteps. But
was long while before he ceased
III tremble, on every side he could he
10 the cries Of the brutal soldiers, 'IAi]
kill the Hugueuois! !" and everyWhe
m were the screams and groans of Il
murdered and dying Pro:estants.
lis made his blood run cold to think
ar the wicked work that was being don
M. Merlin had kept his Bible WI
ny him as he fled, and, as he lay there
the nay-ioft, we can imagine him tur
ing over the pages and co'nforti
himself with the precious promises
the sacred Word. The hours pass
ts. slowly, aud he began 70 grow hungl
,s. but did not dare leave his retreat
70, fear OF discovery, which, OF cOur
ilv meant death. Starvation stared h
me in the face if he remained the
es. however, he preferred to trust to CO.
es mercy rather than to mans.
AS he lay there, exhausted and
/. most helpless, NJ. Merlin heard Liz
rustling upon the hay like that
ich some object stepping carefully over
the loft, Had his enemies tracked Il
esj. ,hither, and were they coming
ar. capture him? He glanced fearful
II. out from beneath the hay with VIII
ing he had covered himself. He felt grea
He relieved 10 see only hen that was e
hat IDENTIFY hunting for nest. Snon eve
A. -